Saving the Crawlers
by NinjaEeveeKitty
Summary: After the Illumination, the Tribes find out about newly created ones - ones who are out for the blood of the Outland Tribes. Lagravis and Crominus, though bickering like an old married couple, have to work together with doubt and peace on their minds and pick a side to support in this situation. Trigger warning: there may be mentions of torture in later chapters. DISCONTINUED.
1. Chapter 1

It had been three months after the Great Illumination, and everything had gone mostly back to normal. The Ice Hunters had been purified and moved to different places to live semi-permanently. Eris continued to get visions, but they were of minor things such as who would win a contest or when the Golden Chi would appear again.

Soon, Lagravis got reports said that there were odd happenings occurring in the Outlands. Injured Scorpions, Spiders, and Bats were often found, but only a few could talk without breaking down. These Crawlers were brought to the nearest outpost, but none had talked about what was going on.

"This is bad news..." Lagravis muttered to himself.

"So should we call a council, or…?" Lavertus asked. Lagravis nodded.

"This may be a threat to Chima," Lagravis explained, then went to get the council together.

The council consisted of Lagravis and Lavertus, Ewald, Grumlo, Rawzom, Wakz and Worriz, Crominus and Crunket, Rogon, Bladvic, Breezor, Sir Fangar, Maula, Vardy, and Tormak.

"You'd better have called us for a good reason, Lagravis," Wakz threatened.

"Indeed I have." Lagravis filled them in on the reports he had gotten. Crominus crossed his arms.

"Why should we bother helping them?" he demanded.

"Because whatever's happening is a huge threat," a male voice replied. Sir Fangar nodded to the Saber-tooth.

"General Stealthor. What did you find?" he asked.

Stealthor didn't reply, instead gesturing for someone to come in. A small Scorpion, no more than a child, peeked in and slowly went to Stealthor. His tail and stinger were as large as an adult's, leading some of the council to assume that he would grow into it. He had black carapace, and light gold detailing on his armor. His eyes seemed to be a bluish-grey color.

"This is Scamp. I found him wandering, injured, through the Outlands. He told me what's going on," Stealthor informed. He knelt down and quietly talked to the kid, who nodded and looked at the council nervously.

"There were really mean creatures, they kept attacking us," Scamp began quietly. Some of the council had to lean in to listen. "There are really big, scary lizards with wings. And big birds who can turn their heads all the way around. And weird furry creatures who look like they have masks." He got a bit louder. "The...the dragons have my big brother...please help, please!"

"Your big brother?" Lavertus asked. Crominus seemed doubtful, which quickly turned to shock when Scamp answered.

"Scorm."

"What?" Rawzom asked, hoping that the small kid was joking.

"Apparently," Stealthor interrupted, "Scorm has several siblings. This one is the youngest. He also has a twin sister and an older brother, the latter of which apparently disappeared a long time before the Crawlers' presence in the Outlands was known." Stealthor looked at Crominus, specifically. "It's part of what led to Scorm going crazy."

Crominus felt his argument die in his throat. Lavertus asked what they were all thinking. "How old is he?"

"I'm four whole years old!" Scamp said, almost proudly. "Big brother Scorm and big sister Scott are fourteen! And big brother Scorcher is eighteen!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Crominus's Point of View**

Fourteen. Scorm was fourteen years old.

I can't believe it. What made him so crazy? Wait. Stealthor said that someone's disappearance made him go crazy. What was the name again?

"We'll do what we can to help you, young one," Lagravis said to the little Scorpion. I tried to glare at this child, to be angry, but I couldn't. Though he looked like Scorm, I couldn't hate him. He was innocent. It wasn't his fault that his older brother was crazy.

"That's the thing, sir," Stealthor interrupted again. "The Tribes do not appear to be dangerous to us, only to the Crawlers. Perhaps, somehow, you could talk to them?"

Everyone quickly made their excuses, but it took me a minute to realize that it was down to me and Lagravis to handle this. Of all the people…

"Let's get this done quickly," Lagravis said. I swallowed my pride.

"Right. Perhaps that's for the best." I glanced at the little Scorpion kid with Stealthor. "Are we bringing the kid?"

"No. He'd be safest here," Lagravis replied. "We'll take the Speedors and head out immediately."

I bit back a snarky comment and looked over at Crunket, who hugged me.

"Come back safe, please," she whispered. I hugged back and nodded, then had to follow Lagravis to get the Speedors. We drove for a while in silence, until Lagravis broke it.

"You seem a bit shocked at the information that Stealthor provided."

"Scorm is a child...a ruthless, evil one, but a child nonetheless..." I muttered. "...This is throwing me off so much."

"I agree...it seems strange, though...did he act like one?"

I shook my head. "Not a single time." I suddenly remembered something. "But he did avoid physical contact...that's the only strange thing I can remember. Other than that, he acted like an adult. Perhaps evolving by the Chi did that, though...why is this Scorpion so confusing?"

Lagravis shrugged. "Whatever it is, we can't let it bother us. We need to focus."

"Agreed." Even as I said that, I knew I was lying and would be trying to figure it out for the rest of the day.

We stopped at Lavertus's old base for the night, and I checked it thoroughly for any intruders. Finding none, I tried to settle down to sleep.

As if that would work.

I laid on my back, staring up at the ceiling, going over everything I knew about the Crawlers and trying to figure out if they really were young. If they were...it explained a lot.

I sat up quickly, listening. I heard footsteps – the kind where someone was trying to be quiet but obviously wasn't used to stepping softly. I carefully got up and checked to see what it was and came face-to-face with a Bat. I jumped back and grabbed my sword, and the Bat scrambled away and held up his hands in surrender.

"Lagravis, get up!" I yelled, keeping my sword pointed at the Bat. Lagravis woke up and muttered before grabbing his sword and coming to see the commotion. The Bat was backed up against the wall.

"Who are you?" Lagravis demanded. The Bat let out a squeak.

"B-Blink! Me Blink! Me try find help!"

"Help?" I repeated. "Why do you need help?"

"Scorpions, all capture! Capture by scale wing creatures!" Blink stuttered out.

"Scale wing creatures?" I wondered aloud. Must be the same ones that the kid talked about. I looked at Lagravis, then back to Blink. "Tell me more."

"Scale wing creatures are large! Different colors, shine in light! Breathe fire!" Blink said quickly, panicked even. "They take Scorpions! Brown one claim to kill Scorpions if Bats or Spiders do anything!"

Lagravis frowned. "That's certainly not good...where are the leaders of your Tribes?"

"Scorm capture too. Braptor hurt. Spinlyn try keep all safe, in Spider Cavern," Blink informed. Lagravis lowered his sword slowly, and I did the same.

"Looks like we know where we're going next," Lagravis muttered to me. I nodded, and he continued speaking. "Can you bring us to Spinlyn, Blink?"

"Blink foot injured badly, but Blink try," he replied. He inched away, favoring his right foot heavily and trying not to stand on it.

I sheathed my sword and headed back to my Speedor, hesitant on whether following the Bat back to the Crawler base was a good idea. But Lagravis seemed to think it was, as he followed Blink – who had started flying – without another comment. I followed, reasoning that Lagravis knew what he was doing.

Blink slowed his flight. "We get close! Take care, there trap! Lot trap! We no want more scale wing creatures!" Lagravis and I slowed down, and I saw the pit trap first.

"Lagravis, go left!" I yelled and went right to go around it. Lagravis heard and reacted, avoiding the trap.

"You weren't kidding about the traps, I see!" Lagravis commented. "Crominus, let's slow down."

"Got it." I slowed, searching the ground again. "Blink, how far until we get to the Spider Cavern?"

"Not far! Close!" Blink reported. He landed on the ground in front of a cave, and Lagravis and I stopped our Speedors. He let out some clicking noises, and some Bats and Spiders peered out to see what was going on. Lagravis took a moment, then spoke.

"We're here to help you."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Lagravis's Point of View**_

"We're here to help you." Cavora, did I say that out loud? Never mind, have to roll with it now, especially since Spinlyn and Braptor are approaching.

"How could you help?" Spinlyn asked, sounding doubtful. I swallowed my courage and spoke again.

"By allowing you to come farther into Chima, away from these strange new Tribes. And by finding the Scorpions, along with getting them out of wherever they're being held. But in order to do that, we need to know more about what we're up against," I said, making it sound like an offer. Braptor noticeably perked up at that and looked up to Spinlyn.

She thought for a few moments. "I'm worried at what these Tribes will do to the Scorpions. From what we've seen..." she left it hanging, making me a bit anxious. I refused to show it.

"We have a better chance united than separated," I replied. "And more numbers may make it easier to save the Scorpions."

Spinlyn finally nodded. "Then we accept."

I could practically hear Crominus think "that was easy" before I heard something in the bushes nearby. Before I even had a chance to react, a large and grey creature jumped out and lunged at Braptor. Luckily, Crominus reacted faster than I did and hit the creature in the face with the flat side of his sword. It stumbled away and hissed loudly, a sound that hurt my ears. It turned and ran away.

"That's one of them?" Crominus asked Spinlyn, who nodded.

"They...they capture the Bats, and only the Bats...we haven't found anyone they've captured..." Spinlyn trailed off. The implications were clear.

Crominus looked at me. "We need to move fast, then. Before..."

I nodded, then addressed the Bats and Spiders. "Take what you want to keep, we're moving you all into Chima _now_."

They all scrambled around to get what they wanted to keep. Spinlyn walked to stand near us at the entrance of the cave, keeping an eye on the nearby bushes and trees before speaking.

"Thank you so much for this...we are in your debt," she said. I shook my head.

"Don't worry about it. It's better to keep more people safe than to worry about debts," I explained. Spinlyn seemed to smile – I couldn't tell, but I hoped it was a smile.

"Lagravis," Crominus interrupted, "we should probably ride ahead and warn the rest of the Chima Tribes to expect the Spiders and Bats."

Whoops.

I nodded. "You go on ahead, then. I'll stay behind and investigate."

Crominus gave me the look like I was crazy, then got back on his Speedor. A Spider with four extra limbs on his back walked over.

"I'd like to help back here, it's the only thing I can do," he said. "I've gathered some information so far that I think can be useful."

"Thank you, um..." I realized I didn't know his name.

"Chief Soldier Sparacon," he introduced himself with a bow. "I'll be staying behind to guard the back, either way."

"A little assistance from someone with more knowledge would be helpful," I allowed. "You can fill me in, I presume?"

"Fully," Sparacon promised. "There are three Tribes that we know of: Raccoons, Dragons, and Owls. The Raccoons are...vicious. They hunt the Bats as food and seem to specifically go after them, but have also gone after the Owls. The Dragons...are kind of like you Lions, being proud and stuff, but are very vicious...they try to tear us limb from limb. And the Owls are just...quiet and horrifying in their own way. They're all so hostile to us, and...it's kind of terrifying. Especially since they've got the Scorpions..." The fear in Sparacon's voice was easy to hear and understand, even if I couldn't understand his facial expressions. I just wished I could do more to help immediately but had to focus on the long run.

"Do you know where they're staying?" I inquired.

"Past the Outlands, in a desert. Our Speedors don't work out there, though. Chi, in general, seems to work improperly in that desert."

I quietly cursed. "Well then...guess we'll need a new way to get through there quickly." Sparacon nodded.

"We could ride our Speedors to the edge of the desert, then continue on foot unless we find another way," he offered.

"Sounds like a plan. We'll set off after seeing the rest off," I decided. He nodded again.

After a little bit, we were watching the last of the Bats and Spiders drive or fly away. I collected myself.

"Let's get going."


End file.
